Intranasal Pramlintide Nanoparticles: Nose-to-Brain Delivery of an Amylin Peptide Analog | Research

The takeaway

Dextran-pramlintide polyelectrolyte complex nanoparticles delivered via intranasal route achieved nose-to-brain delivery, demonstrating a non-invasive approach for amylin analog therapy.

Nose-to-brain peptide
Pramlintide nanoparticles delivered via nasal spray reach the brain, bypassing the blood-brain barrier without injection

What the researchers found

Dextran-pramlintide nanoparticles delivered via intranasal route achieved nose-to-brain pramlintide delivery, demonstrating a non-invasive peptide brain delivery approach.

Why it matters

Amylin and its analogs show promise for neurodegenerative diseases, but brain delivery is a major hurdle. Intranasal nanoparticles could make brain-targeted amylin therapy as simple as a nasal spray.

The numbers in context

Specific dosing and cognitive test scores were not detailed in the available abstract portion.

How the study worked

Formulated pramlintide in dextran polyelectrolyte complex-coated nanoparticles. Characterized particle properties, stability, and nasal permeation. Assessed nose-to-brain delivery.

Who was studied

Transgenic Alzheimer's disease model mice

What this study cannot tell us

Preliminary delivery study. The amount of pramlintide reaching the brain via nasal route may be limited. Long-term safety of nasal nanoparticle administration needs evaluation.

How to read the evidence

Preliminary evidence: formulation and delivery proof-of-concept study. No clinical efficacy data for brain conditions.

When this study was published

Published in 2024. Advances nose-to-brain peptide delivery technology.

The bigger picture

Nose-to-brain delivery is gaining momentum as a practical route for brain-targeted peptide therapy. Combined with nanoparticle technology, it could enable non-invasive treatment of neurodegenerative diseases with peptides like amylin, insulin, and oxytocin.

Questions still open

Could intranasal pramlintide slow Alzheimer's disease progression?
How does nose-to-brain pramlintide bioavailability compare to injectable delivery?
Can this nanoparticle platform deliver other peptide drugs to the brain?

Common questions

What is pramlintide?

Pramlintide is a synthetic version of amylin, a peptide hormone normally produced alongside insulin. It's approved for diabetes but also shows neuroprotective properties, making it a candidate for treating brain diseases like Alzheimer's — if it can reach the brain.

How does nose-to-brain delivery work?

The nasal cavity has direct nerve connections to the brain (via the olfactory and trigeminal nerves). Nanoparticles sprayed into the nose can travel along these nerve pathways to reach the brain, bypassing the blood-brain barrier that blocks most drugs from entering the brain through the bloodstream.

Read the original research

Intranasal administration of dextran-pramlintide polyelectrolyte complex-coated nanoemulsions improves cognitive impairments in a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease.

International journal of biological macromolecules, 281(Pt 1), 136158

View on PubMed ↗Publisher’s paper ↗

Citation

Zuglianello, Carine; França, Angela P; de Souza, Bruna S; Agnes, Jonathan P; Prediger, Rui D; Lemos-Senna, Elenara. (2024). Intranasal administration of dextran-pramlintide polyelectrolyte complex-coated nanoemulsions improves cognitive impairments in a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease.. International journal of biological macromolecules, 281(Pt 1), 136158. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.136158